Former Edison Police Director Brian Collier dies in apparent suicide

Jennifer Hulshizer/For The Star-LedgerBrian Collier speaks during a news conference at the Edison Municipal Building in 2008.

HILLSDALE — Former Edison police director Brian Collier, who spent a stormy, 20-month tenure as the head of the township police department, was found dead yesterday morning of an apparent suicide, according to authorities.

The body of Collier, a 53-year-old resident of Hillsdale in Bergen County, was found by searchers in a secluded section of Wood Dale County Park about 9:50 a.m., according to a news release from Hillsdale police. He had been reported missing on Friday, prompting a search throughout the borough by several agencies, including the State Police and Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

Police did not disclose how he died.

Collier leaves behind his wife, Liz, and three children, according to former colleagues. A fourth child, a daughter, died a few years ago.

Former Edison mayor Jun Choi, who appointed Collier to clean up the troubled police department in 2008, expressed shock when he heard the news.

“It’s tragic,” said Choi. “Brian was a gem of a human being. He has the deepest respect and fondness from our team in Edison.”

Collier had been struggling with the death of his 20-year-old daughter, Michelle Collier, said a friend who requested anonymity. According to news reports, Michelle Collier, a University of Virginia student, was found dead in an off-campus apartment in 2005.

Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan, who had worked closely with Collier in revamping the department, said he was praying for the family.

“When something like this happens, it really hits home. It’s a tragic loss. We send our prayers to the family, and hopefully they can overcome this very tragic situation,” he said.

Collier, a former federal drug enforcement agent, came to Edison to make the police department more professional. The force, whose officers had been involved in embarrassing incidents over several years, had earned such a bad reputation that in 2000 the CBS TV news program “60 Minutes” aired a segment critical of the it.

“In Edison, I’m an outsider and a fed,” Collier told The Star-Ledger last year. “People look down a little bit on outsiders. But I’m an outsider that knows the business and I pay attention.”

Before he left in December, Collier made the police department a state-accredited law enforcement agency. In his resignation letter, he touted his other accomplishments: reorganization of the command staff, revamped hiring practices, a beefed-up internal affairs department and officers equipped with ballistic shields.

Despite those accomplishments, Collier’s tenure was marked with skirmishes with the powerful police union, which supported Choi’s opponent, Antonia Ricigliano. She beat Choi in last year’s Democratic primary and later was elected mayor.

Collier graduated from Rider College, now Rider University, in Lawrenceville in 1978 with degrees in economics and history. He worked five years as a police officer in Hillsdale, where he spent most of his formative years.

He joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 1983 and rose to several management posts, most recently serving as commander of a task force that attacked high-intensity drug trafficking areas in New Jersey before becoming police director in Edison.

“The man was very dedicated,” said Bryan. “Collier brought a lot to the table — he had a wealth of knowledge. But not only that, he was a caring guy. He was a tremendous person.”

Staff writers Tom Haydon and Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Sharon Adarlo may be reached at (973) 392-4088 or sadarlo@starledger.com.